Johnny
by AndAllThatMishigas
Summary: Lucien Blake faces his greatest living nightmare as he races to save the day and everything he holds dear.


Author's Note: This story takes place about a month after the events in The Blake Adventures: Violets are Blue.

 **Johnny**

Jean immediately knew something was wrong. It was too soon for contractions, and this didn't feel like false labor. This felt very much as though she were about to give birth, despite only being seven months pregnant.

Her fear was instant, strong, and overwhelming. It was probably the pregnancy hormones that caused her to burst into tears as she sat in the parlor with her knitting, too terrified to move or cry out.

Lucien was busy with a patient. Valerie was at school. Mattie and Charlie were at work. Jean was all alone.

"Alright, Dennis, I'll see you again next month," Lucien said brightly, leading his patient from the surgery.

As soon as he closed the front door, he heard something that sounded like a sob and a sniffle. Immediately concerned, he went in search of his wife. He found her crying on the sofa, knitting abandoned beside her, desperately clutching her pregnant belly.

"Jean! Jean, darling, what's wrong?" He was by her side in a flash.

"Something is very wrong. I think I'm going into labor," she replied between hitched breaths. "It's too soon! Lucien, what are we going to do!?"

"In the car. Right now, love," he instructed sternly. "Can you walk? If you can't, I'll carry you."

Jean was so overcome with emotion and stress and fear that she couldn't even answer. Another contraction overtook her, forcing a pained, stifled scream to escape her lips. Lucien didn't wait another instant. He lifted her in his arms and put her in the car before he ran back inside to scribble a note for anyone who came home and locked the door before racing them right to Ballarat Hospital.

The crying had stopped, but Jean was now softly moaning uncontrollably in pain as the contractions grew stronger and quicker. Every fiber of her body was screaming in protest. She was too old for this. She wasn't meant to do this. They wouldn't survive this.

As soon as they entered the hospital, Lucien began shouting at doctors and nurses. He held Jean in his arms and she clung to him, pressing her face into his chest to keep herself from crying out.

Before she knew what was going on, Jean was in a hospital gown, lying on an exam table in an operating theater. It was difficult to breathe. The lights were so bright, she squeezed her eyes tight.

"Jean? Jean, can you hear me?" Lucien asked.

She whimpered weakly in response. He took her hand in his and stood over her, his head blocking out the light so she could look up at him. She cautiously opened her eyes, but even that felt like too much effort.

"Darling, there's been some complications with the pregnancy. We knew there might be, at your age," he told her softly.

Her frown deepened. She hated being reminded that she was fifty years old. Far too old to become a mother again.

Lucien softly stroked her hair, trying to comfort her as best he could. "I'm afraid we have to perform surgery, and we may have to deliver the baby today."

"It's too soon," she mumbled. Jean couldn't seem to make her voice any louder.

"I know, but we have to do what we can to save you both."

At those words, Jean felt as though lightning struck her heart. She squeezed Lucien's hand with all her might. "Don't you dare let this baby die. That's more important than anything else. Promise me you'll save our child."

Lucien didn't have words to respond. He couldn't possibly promise that. Especially if it came down to one or the other, he knew he would have to save Jean. But he didn't get a chance to tell her anything. She slumped back, her hand going limp in his as she passed out.

His mind swirled. He swallowed back his fear and tried to focus on solving the puzzle. Why had she lost consciousness? Around him nurses and other doctors were buzzing. And then he knew. "She's bleeding internally. I need to do a cesarean section right now."

The last time Lucien had performed surgery and felt this kind of stress was when he'd saved Lawson's leg. This was a million times worse.

Scalpel in hand, Lucien cut into his wife's abdomen. Blood poured out. He was right, she had been bleeding internally. Somehow, perfectly normal early contractions had ruptured the uterus. Lucien pulled the baby out and cut the umbilical cord before handing off to another doctor. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Lucien realized he had a son. But right now, he needed to be sure he still had a wife.

His hands performed on old muscle memory, clamping veins and arteries, and stitching up tears. He shouted to the nurses to hand him the materials he needed. The room was deathly quiet. The only sounds were the ones he made while operating.

At last, everything seemed to be in order. No more bleeders. Everything repaired. He stitched the surgical incision and felt like he would faint from exhaustion the moment his hands stopped moving.

Another doctor gave Lucien an update, telling him all the things they'd been doing while Lucien operated. The blood transfusions, the medications, and everything else. Lucien barely heard a word. He just stared at Jean's face. It was far too pale.

When he got no response, the other doctor turned to leave Lucien alone. But Lucien stopped him. "Is...how is my son?"

And for the first time in hours, someone smiled. "Dr. Blake, that's a strong boy you've got. He is premature, but his lungs are developed, and his heart is beating well. We've got him on some intravenous fluids and medications to keep him stable. As soon as it's safe, we'll let you see him."

Lucien was left alone for a moment. He took Jean's hand and stroked her face gently with his fingers. "Our boy is doing just fine, Jean," he murmured. His voice cracked as his eyes filled with tears. "I need you to wake up soon, my darling."

"Doctor, we're going to move Mrs. Blake to a private room now," one of the nurses said.

He nodded. He reluctantly let go of Jean's hand and watched the nurses take her away. He'd follow in a minute. But he had noticed the clock on the wall and realized how much time had passed. He went to the corner of the room and picked up the telephone.

"Ballarat Hospital Morgue," came a crisp voice on the line.

"Alice, could you see to Valerie when she gets home from school, please?" His voice cracked from disuse and rampant emotion.

"Lucien? You don't sound right. What's going on?"

He cleared his throat and quickly explained, "Jean had pregnancy complications. I just finished her surgery. Waiting for her to wake up. I can't leave."

"And the baby?" Alice asked tentatively, fearing for the worst.

"I have a son," he told her, tears pricking his eyes as he said those words out loud.

There was a long pause. "Are you up in the operating theater?"

"Yes."

The line went dead. Lucien was confused and was about to call the police station to see if Charlie could see to Valerie, when the door burst open. Alice was breathing heavily. She'd run up three flights of stairs.

Lucien was startled. "Alice?"

"I think I'm supposed to hug you. Is that correct?"

"Oh you don't need to..."

She cut off his protest and exclaimed, "Lucien, you have a son! That must be properly celebrated!"

He grinned. "I have a son," he repeated.

Without waiting, Alice threw her arms around him. She was clearly very uncomfortable, but she wanted to get the convention right. If Jean wasn't awake yet and no one else was with Lucien, Alice wanted to do the proper thing. She counted to eight in her head, which she felt was an adequate amount of time for a congratulatory hug. "Right, I'll go get Valerie from school and bring her back here, yes?"

"Thank you, Alice. I don't want to worry about her, what with everything else."

"Of course. And I'll inform Matthew and Mattie and Charlie. Everyone will want to meet the baby and see to Jean."

Many hours later, Lucien was surrounded by friends, his own extended family, huddled outside the door to Jean's room. He didn't want to disturb her, but he wanted to remain nearby. Valerie sat on his lap, chatting excitedly to Alice. Matthew watched Lucien closely, making sure his friend was doing as well as he was acting. Mattie and Charlie had just arrived from their respective work shifts.

"I'm afraid I'll need everyone except Dr. Blake to clear the hallway," a strict middle-aged nurse announced.

"Why?" Alice demanded sharply.

But the nurse smiled. "We'd like to bring the baby through to his mother."

Everyone wished Lucien more congratulations. Charlie picked up Valerie and promised her she could meet her baby brother soon. When they were all cleared away, the nurse rolled a bassinet through the hall very carefully.

Lucien was nearly bowled over. He was so tiny, their boy. Lucien hadn't fully realized when he'd delivered the baby how small he actually was. But he was beautiful. Wispy golden hair. Pink little face. He was perfect.

Nurse, father, and son made their way into Jean's room. She still wasn't awake, but she was stable. The nurse left the family to themselves.

Lucien reached down and picked up his sleeping son. "You, young Blake, are the greatest miracle I've ever seen. Now, you'll learn this about me, but I'm not one for religion. Your mother will probably take you to church with her, but it's not anything I've ever been drawn to. But you...you are a miracle from God."

In the hospital bed, Jean began to stir. Everything hurt. Not a sharp, frightening pain like before. This was a dull, throbbing ache. She groaned before her eyes started to flutter open.

"Jean?" Lucien asked tentatively.

"Lucien, what happened?" she asked as her eyes started to focus.

He stood by her side. "We have a son," he announced.

Her breath caught in her throat. "He's alright?"

"Oh, darling, he's perfect."

She swallowed back her tears. "May I hold him?"

"Of course you can." Lucien placed the baby in her waiting arms.

"He's so small! But he's perfect, you're right," Jean gushed. She was fully awake now. She couldn't feel any pain at all. "Johnny, just look at you!" she murmured, gently kissing his sleeping face.

"Johnny?"

Jean nodded, looking up at her husband. "Jonathan Thomas Blake. Johnny. That's his name."

Lucien smiled. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head and stroked their son's cheek. "Yes. That is his name."


End file.
